Microsoft at it again?

Is this a new scam from MS?

[nickbj]

Has anyone else been invited by microsoft to update their system... not at shut down when the automatic up-dates occur, but from a pop-up?
I was daft enough to look at it. It tells me that I have "Unauthorised" software... then directs me to a web page to get "Authorisation" but it will cost me...(!) Is this a scam, or what? This system was loaded when I bought the box, and I ain't intending to pay any more for what I've allready got!
One last thing; this irritating message flags up at each boot now... Anyone got an idea of how to get rid of it - FOR EVER! (Please?)

[jdMorgan]

You've got malware -- probably from surfing a malicious site with ActiveX enabled in Internet Explorer.

Try Ad-Aware, Spybot Search & Destroy, and the MS Malicious Software Removal Tool. If those don't catch it, there are several others - all of them free.

Run them all -- each one will catch a few that the others didn't. Then consider using Firefox, Opera, Mozilla Suite, or Seamonkey --all free and more secure than IE-- for browsing untrusted sites.

Jim

[john_k]

Actually, it is possible that you have a non-licensed copy of Windows, or your copy was never registered. MS recently turned on their "product activation" feature for Windows XP (and other versions?) via a recent update. You can get more details here:

[en.wikipedia.org...]
[edit]
Couldn't find this link before... here is a recent article about the stepped up enforcement
[news.com.com...]
[/edit]

I had thought that this was in the software all along. But there were a few articles about one month ago mentioning that they had not really been enforcing it and that this feature would be turned on via the next routine set of updates.

[edited by: john_k at 7:11 pm (utc) on May 31, 2006]

[john_k]

I should have mentioned: You should follow the "Windows Update" link to make sure. It can be found at Start (button) / All Programs. There is also a link in IE on the "Tools" menu.

[herb]

It's from MS no need to check for malware

To OEMs and systems builders

"Your customers will now be prompted to download this tool as part of
Automatic Updates. If they download the tool and fail Windows validation
check, they will be notified that their systems are running non-genuine
Windows, and given options to get genuine. They will be directed back
to their system builder for assistance. They will be given options to
purchase a genuine copy of Windows from Microsoft or from their local resellers."

The OS will continue to run but you will not be able to get updates and the
flag in your tray stays. Not something you want on your notebook when you go
out to demo at a prospective customers site

Microsoft site [microsoft.com]

This warning page has been up for some time.

[StupidScript]

Note that some vendors' Windows installations will fail the authorization tests due to the type of license and installation procedures they used before you bought the system. I think IBM was one such vendor, but I can't think of any others at this point.